Sound-reproducing machine



G. D. ADAiI/Is.

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IIILY I, 1919.

SQ., Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

//////////////// www? .enemies New. 7, ieee. lmdtidltiti UNITED FAITESPATENT @FFIQE GEORGE D. ADAMS, F OMAHA, NEBRASKA. ASSIGNUR TOUE ROTH 0FOMAHA,

' v NEBRASKA.

sonnnnnrnonuorne MACHINE.

Application letl: July 1,*1919. Serial No. 307,879.

To all whom t may concern.' sound groove-are substantially diminished Beit know'nthat I, GEORGE D. ADAMS, and, in many instances, entirelyeliminated a citizen of the United States of America, withoutundesirable modulation of the tone residing at Omaha, in the countyofDougor sound being reproduced.v

las and State of Nebraska, have invented With these and other objects inview, the 56W certain new and useful Improvements in invention involvesthe employment of the Sound-Reproducing Machines, of which theinstrumentalities, means, members and elefollowing is a specification',reference being ments, and the operative aggroupment of' had therein tothe accompanying drawing. these, as hereinafter specified and described.

This invention relates-to sound reproduc- However, I wish it to beunderstood that 66 ing machines, and has more especial refertheinvention is not restricted to the three ence to a, scratch-muiiiing orabsorbing deembodiments herein disclosed, since it is susvice to beattached thereto. ceptible of varied embodiment and, thus,

The object of the invention is to provide the'exemplified structuresherein illustrated a simple, comparatively inexpensive, and are capableof'a wide range of modiiication 7@ eiective device to be associated withthe and variation without departing from the. sound reproducingstructure of the machine spirit of the invention or sacrificing any etfor muii'ling or absorbing the scratching the salient features,advantages, and underand grinding neises resulting from the conlyingprinciples thereof. y

tact of the needle with the record as the In the accompanying drawings,which are 75 former traverses the groove in' the latter; intended to bemerely illustrative of possible this result being eiected withoutseriously embodiments of the invention: or undesirably affecting thetones or sounds Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevabeing reproduced.tion of a portion of a tone arm, its asso- A further object of theinvention is to ciated reproducer, and my attachment ap- 8@ provide adevice of the kind-specified which plied thereto;

is adapted to eiect a substantial diminu- `i 2 is a view in perspectiveothe tion, if not the absolute elimination, of the attachment, scratchingnoise which usually prevails in Figu is a view in central verticalsection p -sound reproducing machines while the nee-l t ereo'f; 85 dieis traveling in the groove of the record- Fig. 4 is a view inperspective of a modidisk, and, at the same time, to appreciably liedtype of structure; purify the tone or sound being reproduced. Fig. 5 isaview in central vertical sec- A. still further object within thecontemtion thereof;

plation of the invention is to provide an at- Fig. 6 is a view, partly-in elevatiortand 90 tachment for sound reproducing machines partly .incentral vertical section, of a third having as its primary function thereproducembodiment of the invention. attached to tion of the tones intheir natural form; this the reproducer of a talking machine; beingachieved by eliminating the metallic Fig. 7 is a view in 'perspective ofthis t@ ring and sound and by vrounding out the third embodiment; and v't @5 tones. Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of a needle A still furtherobject'within the contemsupporting arm forming a component ofthe plationof the invention is to provide an atattachment ofthis third embodiment.Y l V tachment of the kind specified which may Reierringto the drawings,and to Figs. I,

be mounted in the usual needle socket of 2 and 3, the reference numeralldesignates 10@ the sound-reproducer and which attachment -the usualrecord disk or plate, upon which is so constructed vand arranged as tosupis mounted la record 2 in the usual manner. port the needle in amanner thateliminates Overlying the record 2 is a tone arm 3 ci]undesirable vibration of the structure; this usual construction forsupporting a sound to result being accomplished by insulating the boX orreproducer 4 also of usual construen 105 needle from the reproduce'r byone orI more tion. and which includes the usual needle refscratch-absorbing or cushioning elements, ceiving device 5 'having a'thumb screw .ti

whereby the grinding and scratching noises threaded thereinto.

usually heard 1n talking machines-by reason My scratch mumer is adaptedto be assoof the traveling contact of the needle in the ciated with theneedle receiving device .5, and 11@ absorbing element 12, preferablymade of resilient material, such as rubber,l cork` fiber or the like.The element 12 is held in position by -a confining member 13, preferablyof some rigid material, such as metal. Embraced by this confinind memberis another resilient, scratch absorbln element 14, made of a materialsimilar to t at of the element- 12. Embraced by the resilient member 14is a reproducer-connecting member 15, preferably of metal, and adaptedto be inserted in the usual needle holder socket of the device 5, andrigidly7 held therein by the screw 6.

The angulated portion 11 is adapted to embrace a scratch absorbing orcushioning element 16, made of some. resilient material, such as thatdescribed with reference to the resilient element 12. This element 16encompasses a needle holding member 17 in which is threaded a needleholding screw 18 adapted to secure a needle 19 in the holder 17.

vFrom the foregoing, it will be observed that the needle holder 17 isinsulated and cushioned from the metallic portion 11 of the frame 8; andthat, likewise, the reproducer connecting member 15 is insulated andcushioned from the element-confinin member 13 by the resilient element14, w ile the member 13 is, itself'n insulated and cushioned from themetallic portion 10 of the frame 8. In' consequence, the needle 19 is.by a series of cushioning elements, insulated from the needle holdingdevice 5, such that mechanical vibrations produced on the needle 19 bythe record 2 are absorbed and prevented from being transferred to ortranslated into the sound box 4. As a result, the scratching andgrinding noises incident to the travel of the needle 19 in a groove inthe record 2 are effectivelyl absorbed by the resilient elements 16, 12and 14 and are thereby substantially if not entirely eliminated, inconsequence of whichlnothing but the true and purified-toneel' 'soundVbeing reproduced is transferred into the sound boxand therebyreproduced, and this without undesirable modulation of the tone lor theloss of tone qualities.

As shown in Fig. 1, for instance, the attachment is so supported in thereproducer that it shall always be maintained in a defined relationtothe axis of the record; hence, it arches the record from the outsideportion thereof all the way into its axis. This is in order that theneedle carried by the attachment shall travel at the proper angle withreference to the record-groove and in proper operating relation to thediaphragm of the reproducer.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modified form of structure: This includes aframe or supporting instrumentality 20 of a -construction somewhat likethat of the preferred embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that thereproducer connecting element 21, in this instance, is integral. withthe frame, in consequence of which` I interpose a block 22 of resilientmaterial between the angulated element-holding portion 23 of the frameand the body portion 24 thereof. sitely-formed, angulated elementholding portion 25 of the frame 420, in this instance, embraces alayerof resilient material 26 and this in turn is held by a confining member27, of angular construction to encompass a second layer 28 of resilientmaterial, within which is seated a needle holder 29 into which a needleholding screwv30 is threaded. In this particular exemplification of theinvention, a plurality of cushioning or scratch absorbing elements aredisposed in the part of the supporting frame which sustains the needleholder; whereas, in the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and v3, the pluralityof cushioning elements is disposed in the part of the supportinginstrumentality in which the reproducer connecting member is secured. Inpractice, I have found in some instances that it is advantageous toinsulate the reproducer connecting member from the frame 8 ina largermeasure than is the insulation of the needleholder from the fra-me; but,in both of these instances, the needle 19 is, by a series of theinsulating elements, effectively cushioned from the needle holder 5.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, .I have shown'a third embodiment: This includes areproducer connecting member 31 which, preferably and as shown, isangulated to provide a stem 32 connected to project into a casing 0rhousing 33 and being adapted therein to confining washers 34V and 35,between which are disposed resilient elements 36 and 37. Interposedbetween the resilient elements 36 and 37 is an arm 38 provided with anaperture 39 of larger diametral dimensions than 'those of the stem 32 sothat said arm is maintained out of contact 'with the stem at all times.This arm projects from the housing 33 and is angulated to' provide asupport 40 in which a layer of scratch absorbing material 41 is disposedand which embraces a needle holding member i 42n'carrying a needleholding screw 43. In this .third embodiment of the invention, the housmg33 and the arm 38 constitute a frame 8 of Fig. 1 and of the frame 20 of'Fig. 4. In this instance, the arm 38 will have a certain amount vofvibratory movement relative to the casing 33, but such movement will bemore or less absorbed by the cushioning elements 36 and 37 so thatonlythe purified' tone is transmitted from the needle 44 to the needleholding device 5. Encompassing' the arm 38, at a point t-hereon adjacentto the end of the casing 33, is an insulating element 38, the purpose ofwhich is to insulate the arm 38 froml the casing and thereby prevent thearm, during its vibration, from contacting with the casing. Theiiexibility also provided by the resilient elements in the action of theneedle on the record tends to preclude wear of the record and, thus,prolongs the life thereof.

.F rom the foregoing, it will be observed that I havel provided anefficient device for completely removing metallic grind and scratchdeveloped by the direct contact of the metal needle with the record, andwith incidental cushioning members provided by the resilient elementsdescribed,the tendency of the. device is to purify the tones. By reasonof the manner of operatively relating the needle .to the sound box, itis found that a record having either the laterallycut groove, or onewith the hill-and-dale groove may be used without necessitating thechanging of the position of the reproducer arm of the machine.

In practice, I have found that copper tends to clarify vibrations morethan other metals; in consequence', I prefer to make the attachment, inmost of its parts, of that metal. The needle holder may, however, bemade of Soft brass. 'Ihe resilient elements, as already explained, maybe made of' various materials; but comparatively soft rubber has beenfound in practice to produce the best' results. In thus specifying thesematerials, I do not, however, wish to limit myself thereto except in sofar as such limitations may' be expressed in the appended claims.

WhatI claim is l. A muiiler-device for talking machines, including asupporting-instrumentality, a needle-holder member associated therewith,a reproducer-connecting member sustained by thesupporting-instrumentality, and a resilient member associated with thesupporting instrumentality and with one of said members and insulatingone from the other, the axes of the holder and the connectingmembernormally occupying relatively different spaced-apart planes.

2. A muiiier-device for talking machines including areproducer-connecting member, a supporting instrumentality associatedtherewith and sustained thereby, a needleholding member associated withand sustained by the instrumentality ,and having its axis disposed in arelatively. dierent plane from that of the connecting-member, and aninsulating element interposed between the exterior wall of one of saidmembers and the interior wall of the instrumentality whereby that memberis insulated from the instrumentality.

3. A muiiler-device for sound-reproducing machines` including asuporting-instrumentality comprising a body-portion and a plurality of'oppositely-disposed element-.holding portions, each angulated tothebodyportion, a reproducer-connecting member associated with one of theangulated portions', a needle-holder associated with another of theangulated portions, the angulated p0rtions constituting a plurality ofsupports for maintaining the connecting-member and holder inspaced-apart relation, and a resilient element mounted in one of theangulated portions and in association with said holder andconnecting-member for absorbing vibrations transmitted from said holderand through said member.

4. A muflier-device for sound-reproducing machines including asupporting-instrumentality comprising a body-portion and a plurality ofangulated element-holding port-ions, a reproducer-connecting memberassociated with one of the element-holding portions, a needle-holdingmember associated with lanother of the angulated portions, andvibration-cushioning means disposed against the wall of thesupporting-instrumentality and in associationwith at least one of saidmembers.

5. scratch-muing device for sound-reproducing machines including anangulated supporting-instrumentality comprising two element-holdingportions, a reproducer-connecting member associated with one of saidportions, a. needle-holding member associated with the other portion,.and a muiiiingelement in insulating association with the holding-memberand sustained by the supporting-instrumentality.

6. A scratch-muing device for soundreproducing machines including anangulatedI supporting-instrumentality comprising a plurality ofelement-holding portions, a reproducer-connecting member associated withoneof said portions, a needle-holding member'associated with anotherportion, a cushioning element associated with the holding-member andconfined between it and the supporting-instrumentality.

7. A scratch-muing device for sound-re` producing machines including anangulated supporting-'instrumentality comprising twoelement-holdingfportions, a reproducer-connecting member associated withone of said portions, av needle-holding member associated withthe otherortion, the connecting member and holder eiug sustained by theinstrumentality in spaced-apart relation, -a muiiiing-element associatedwith the holdingmember and contined between it and thesupporting-instrumentality, and a needle selcured in the holding memberand extending in a direction approximately opposite to that of theconnecting member.

8. A scratch-muling device for sound-reproducing machines includin asupportingdevice having angulated portlons in substan tial parallelismwith each other, a reproducer-connectin member associated with one ofsaid portions, a needle-holding member associated with yanother of saidangulated portions, a muHing-element sustained by the device andassociated with one of said members, and an element-separating member incontact with said muliiing-element.

9. A scratch-mufliing device for soundreproducing machines including asupporting instrumentality having a. plurality of angulatedelement-holding portions extending therefrom in vopposite directions,muffling means sustained by the instrumentality, an element-confiningdevice associated with the muiiling means', a reproducing connectingmember also associated with the supporting instrumentality and mufiiingmeans, a needle holder associated with and sustained by the supportinginstrumentality, and a needle-engaging screw threaded into the holder.

10. The combination with a sound-reproducing machine of an attachmentassociable therewith and comprisinga supporting instrumentalityincluding a plurality of element-holding portions occupying relativelydifferent spaced-apart planes, a connectormember associated with one ofsaid holdingelements, a needle holder associated with another of saidholding-elements, and a resilient element in engagement with theinstrumentality and cushioning the .holder from t-he supportinginstrumentality.

11. .A scratch-muiiiing device for soundreproducing machines includingan approximately S-shaped supporting instrumentality, a connector-memberassociated with one portion thereof, a needle-holder associated withanother portion of the instrumentality, and a mutiling-elementassociated with and sustained by the instrumentality; said holder andconnector-member no rmally' occupying a spaced-apart rela-tion.

12. A scratch-muiiling device for soundreproducing machines including aneedleholding member, a connector-member, a supporting instrumentalityhaving a plurality of angulated portions for sustaining said members' inspaced-apart relation and in relatively different planes and acushioning element disposed between the supporting instrumentality andone of said angulated portions and` functioning to absorb vibrationstransmitted from the holding member.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

FRANCES JoHNsoN, W. R. Scorri.

